Buttof hole attachment foe -sbwing machines



(ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. RANDEL & R. SIMS. BUTTON HOLE ATTAOHMENTFOR SEWING MACHINES Patented May 1, 1883.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(ModeL) W. RANDEL& R. SIMS. BUTTON HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MAGHINES No. 276 709.

Patented May 1, 1888.

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(ModeL) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.. W. RA NDEL'c z R. BUTTON HOLE ATTAGHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Patented May 1, 1883.

:E-IIIIIIE No. 27mm UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

WILLIAM RANDEL, OF s'r. ALBANS, VERMONT, AND ROBERT SIMS, OF GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO EDWIN A. KING, OF TROY, n. Y.

BUTTONeHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,709, dated May 1, 1883. Application filed October 31, 188i. (Modem To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM RANDEL, of

St. Albans, in the county of Franklin and State of Vermont, and ROBERT SIMS, of Glens 5 Falls,in the county of WVarren and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Hole Attachments for Sewing'Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in button-hole-stitching mechanisms; and the objects of our improvements are, first, to provide a simple, effective, and reliable attachment that may be readily applied to any or- 1 dinary sewing-machine, either at the time of constructing said machine or at any posterior time, for the purpose of adapting such machine to the work of stitching button-holes in a perfect, thorough, and expeditious manner; 20 second, to afford facilities for the proper adjustment of the partsforstitchingbutton-holes of different sizes, and for varying the progressive movement of the material between the successive stitches; and, third, to provide, as 2 5 part of the feeding mechanism, a presser-foot that will automatically adjust itself to any inequalities iu the thickness of the goods being stitched. These objects we attain by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompa o nying drawings, which form part ofthis'specification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved attachment; Fig. 2, the same with a portion of the upper work removed for the purpose of 35 exposing the underlying parts; Fig. 3, a side elevation with a portion of the presser-foot broken off, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section of Fig. 1. 7 As represented in the drawings, Ais the 0 bottom plate of the device, to which the several parts hereinafter described are attached.

The said bottom plate is secured to the bedplate of the sewing-machine between the upright portion of the arm and the needle-plate,

5 and is provided with transverse guides at, on

which the frame B slides with a short reciprocal movement.

0 is a cam for imparting the necessary motion to the several parts of the attachment.

5o Said cam is furnished on its under side with a gear-wheel, .c, that engages with a pinion, o, secured to driving-shaft D of the sewing-machine. The wheel 0 and pinion c are relatively proportioned in the ratio oftwo to onethat is to say, so that tworevolutions of the pinion 0 will produce a single revolution of the wheel 0 and itsattached cam, or, to be more exact, so that one complete revolution of the cam G will occur while the sewing-machine is making twocomplete stitches. The cam G is provided on its upper face with a groove, 0 for receiving a friction-roller that revolves on the pin 2, fixed in one end of the bent lever E, and said lever is arranged to vibrate on the stud e, to which a sliding movement is imparted in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. The bent lever E is connected to the sliding frame 113 in such manner that the two will move synchronously,

and the connection is formed by means of the link F and the screw-studsf, the latter being adapted to fit into the holes f. so as to increase and diminish the movement of the slidingframeB as occasion requires. The groove 0 is formed of two oppositely-arranged concentric curves-concentric in respect to the center of motion of the cam (J-and two eccentric curves that connect the former together and perfect the continuity ofthe groove. The concentric curves are of different radii,

the ditference being equal to the required movement of the swinging end of thelever E. The formation of-the groove 0 is such. that during each revolution of the cam O thclever E will have two intervals of rest(while the lever is controlled by the concentric portions of the groove,) and two intervals of motion from the largest concentric curve to the smallest, and vice versa, (while the lever is controlled by the eccentric portions of the groove,) said intervals of rest and motion being arranged to occur alternatingly. The swinging end of the lever E is connected, by means of the rod G, to an arm, H, for imparting motion to the feeding mechanism, the

oscillations of the arm H being adjusted to correspond in time and direction with the reciprocations of the sliding frame B. The arm His provided with a sliding block, it, which carries the stud 9, that serves as a pivot for the rod G, and is governed by an adjusting screw, it, whereby the oscillatory movement of said arm can be increased and diminished to suit the occasion. s ,The stud I, which serves as a pivotal center for the arm H, also performs a like office for the gear-wheel J, ratchet-wheel J, and eccentric K, the three latter being secured together so as to move as one piece. A

' spring-pawl, W, is pivotally attached to the arm H, and is adapted to engage in the ratchet-wheel J, so as to impart to the wheel J and eccentric K an intermittent rotatory motion. The wheel J gears into the wheel L, of the same size, that revolves. on the stud l, and the latter wheel is provided with a cam, L, having a groove, 1, formed similarly to the groove but adapted to produce a slighter movement. A roller on the stud m, fixed to the inner end of the pitnian M,engages in the groove 1", so as to produce an endwise movement of said pitman, and the latter, by being pivoted to the stud e, imparts to said stud a sliding movement on the guide a, and thereby shifts the pivotal center of the lever E at each end of a button-hole, as and for the purpose here inafter described. The pitrnan M is guided by a stud, m, and is thereby prevented from being displaced by the action of the cam L. A slide, 0, is arranged to reciprocate longitudinally in the guides 12, formed on the front end of the sliding frame B, and a presser-foot, P, hinged at 0 to the slide 0, is provided with an oblong opening, through which the stitching of the button-holes is effected, and the perimeter of said opening is surrounded by a series of independent springs, 19, each of \vhichhas an end bent at right angles to pass downward through the opening 1), so that the ends alone of said springs will bear upon the material being stitched and press it directly upon the bed plate of the sewing-machine. The lowest or bearing ends of said springs are provided with serrated teeth which engage in the material being stitched, so as to render the feeding action ofthepresser-foot positive, and the whole is so arranged that the said springs will readily adjustthemselves to any inequality in the thickness of materials clamped under the pressert'oot, and maintain the work in a smooth position while it is fed to the needle. The presserfoot P is forced downward to bring the springs 19 to bear upon the material by turning the hub Q, the latter being provided with a fixed pin, g, which engages in a spiral groove cut in the stationary stud q secured in the slide 0. A spring, (1 exerts its pressure against the under side of the presser-t'oot, and causes it to swing upward on its hinge 0 whenever the hub Q is turned backward to release it.

The eccentric K is connected, by means of the rod 70, to the outer portion of the lever B, which vibrates on the stud r, and the said lever, for the purpose of varying the length of its movement, is provided with a sliding block, 0', whose position is adjusted by means of the screw 0, and the rod k is pivoted to the block 1' by the pin k. The inner end of the lever It is furnished with gear-teeth 1' arranged (as in a rack) in a straight line and at right angles to the center line of the lever. The said gearteeth engage with like teeth formed on the segmental rack S, secured to the slide 0, for the purpose of transmitting the movements of the lever B to said slide to ett'ect the feeding of the cloth in the direction of the length of the button-holes to receive the stitches made by the sewing mechanism.

It will be observed that the mode of arranging the gear-teeth on the lever B and segmental rack S isradically different from and directly opposite to the common rule of forming such constructions, which rule would require the teeth on the end of the lever B to be arranged on a curved line of which the stud r would be the center, while the teeth on the rack would be arranged on a straight line tangentially to the curved line of the teeth on the lever. This change, which seems paradoxical, is made for the purpose of measurably correcting the unequal movement derived from the eccentric; and this purpose is effected by lengthening the leverage of the lever B at each side of its center line, and by arranging the teeth in a straightline, as described, and by reference to Fig.1 it will be seen that by this mode of construction, while-the eccentric K is passing its centers, or where it produces the least movement of the outer end of the lever B, the toothed end of said lever is in position to produce its greatest effect on the rack S, by reason of the increased distance between the center of motion of the lever (at the stud 'I') and the outermost tooth at the end of said lever, as compared with the distance between the center of motion and the teeth at the center line of the lever.

The operation of our invention is as follows: The material in which the button-hole is to be stitched is clamped under the presser-foot 1?, so that the button-hole (previously cut) will be centrally located in, and in line with, the openingp. The stitching is started at one side of the button-hole, and, as an assumed initial point, at the end nearest the sliding frame 13. Then by each revolution of the earn 0 the sliding frame B and its attached clamping mechanism will be reciprocated sidewise in such manner that while stitching at either side of the button-hole every other stitch formed by the sewing mechanism will be located at the edge of the cut for the buttonhole, and the intermediate stitches will be formed in the cloth at such distance from the edge of the cut as the attachment may at the time be adjusted to; and to properly produce this efiect the earn 0 must be arranged so that the sliding frame B will remain in a fixed position during the entire time that the needle .of the sewing mechanism is engaged in the material being stitched, and the shit'tin g movements of the sliding frame will be effected while the needle is raised and clear from the ICC one ofits dead-center points, so that its cf fect in advancing the cloth will be scarcely perceptible, and the threads of the stitching will lie closely beside each other; but while this slow-feeding movement is occurring the cam L is rapidly shifting the pivotal center a of the lever E sidewise, and causing the sliding frame B to move over in the same direction, so as to bring the other side of the button-hole under the action of the stitching mechanism, and during this sidewise shifting movement, and while the reciprocations of the sliding frame B are still continued, the closelylaid stitches are carried by progressive steps across the end of the button-hole to produce a strong and perfect "bar for that end of the button-hole. By the time the cam L has completed the shifting movement of the pivotal center of the lever E the eccentric K has attained a position to produce a feeding motion for carrying the cloth where it will receive the stitches, as hereinbefore described, along the unfinished side of the button-hole; and when the second side is completed the cam L will cause the pivotal center of the lever E to return to its former position, .while the slowthe operation.

feeding movement of the eccentric K effects the barring of the second end of the button-hole. When the last-named operation is accomplished the stitching of the button-hole will be completed, and the several parts of the attachment will be restoredto their positions for a repetition of the several operations above described.

It should be understood that the point, hereinabove described, for commencing the stitching is selected for convenience in describing It is obvious that the stitching may be commenced at any part of the button-hole, and then continued around until the line of stitching joins at the point of beginning.

The space between the threads, in respect to the length of the button-hole, may be increased or diminished by shifting the block h inwardly or outwardly in the arm H, and the length or step of the stitch from the edge of the button-hole back onto the cloth can be increased or diminished'by shifting the connecting-link F outwardly or; inwardly in respect to the pivotal center of the lever E.

Our attachment may be readily adjustedfor stitching large or small button-holes by moving the block r closer to or farther from the stud 1', as occasion requires, to give a greater or lesser movement to the inner end of the lever R, and, as a consequence, to the slide 0 and its attached clamping mechanism.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination, with a cam, (J, constructed to operate as herein described, a laterally-reciprocating frame, B, and a vibrating lever, E, the latter being constantly connected to frame B and cam (l to form a mechanism for producing the reciprocations of the frame B in a positive manner in both phases of said reciprocations, of the movable pivotal center 6 for the vibrating lever E, and an intermittin'gly-rotatingcam L, connected, as described, to said pivotal center for the purpose of positively moving the latter in a lateral direction and set the reciprocatingframeB in such man- 'ner that its reciprocations will be made at opposite sides of a given line, so as to effect the stitching at opposite sides of a button-hole, as herein specified.

2. The combination, with the eccentric K and segmental toothed rack S, of the vibrating lever B, connected by the rod k to the co centric K,- the said lever being provided with teeth r arrangedin a straight line perpendicularly to the center line of the lever, as and for the purpose herein Specified.

3. The presser-foot P, provided with a series of independent springs, 19, fixed around its opening peach ofsaid springs beingbentat an angle to form a vertical limb to pass downward through the opening the lowest end of the material being stitched, and the \vholebeing constructed and arranged in such manner that the material will be pressed by the serrated ends of the 'several springs directly against the face of the bed-plate of the sewing-machine, as and for the purpose herein specified.

4. The combination, with the cams C) and L, vibrating lever E, laterally-reciprocating frame B, and longitudinally-reciprocating slide. 0, provided with the segmental toothed rack S, and a cloth-clamping device, as described, of the described adjustable feeding mechanism, consisting of the eccentric K, adjustably connected by the rod is to the vibrating lever B, provided with teeth N, which are arranged in a right line that is perpendicular to the center line of said lever, as and for the purpose herein specified.

WILLIAM RANDEL. ROBERT SIMS. Witnesses for William Randel:

0. A. SKEELs, B. 0. BALL. Witnesses for Robert Sims:

E. OCONNOR,

A. B. ABBOTT.

said limb having serrations forengaging in a 

